Bradford Lad: Skating On Thin Ice
Mike Coatesworth recalls a nervous day on an ice-bound park lake.
While Lesley and I were visitng a craft fair in my home town there was a stall selling old photographs, some of which brought back memories.
There was one in particular - Boathouse in the snow at Saltaire - which reminded me of a certain winter's day. I was visiting Mannigham park where my late brother was then working as a gardener. The boating lake was frozen over. My brother encouraged me to go out onto the ice. He could see that I was reluctant to follow his suggestion, so he alked onto the frozen surace of the lake to demonstrate that it was safe to do so.
Tentatively I stepped onto the ice. It took my weight. Growing in confidence I moved towards my brother who was several yards ahead of me. I placed my feet on the edge of the frozen lake and it took my weight, and I plucked up the courage to follow my brother who by then was several yards ahead of me. When I reached him he was laughing so hard at they way I had edged across the ice that he slipped and fell on his bum.
It was then that I heard the ice creaking under my feet. I looked back towards the lake's edge. wondering if I would be able to reach it before the ice gave way. I thought the quickest way to get there was to run. I tried to do so but fell over several times. Finally I did manage to make it back to safety.
When I turned to see where my brother was I saw that he was laughing even harder, holding his sides after watching me try to run on ice. When he reached my side he explained that though the ice was crackling under my feet it wasn't about to give way. He tried to get me to go back onto that frozen lake, but I refused.
He went back onto the ice though. He was sliding around, enjoying himself, when there was a loud shout from someone saying that the ice was giving way. Several people, my brother included, immediately headed in panic for dry land. He slipped and fell, grazing his head, but he made it back OK.
I didn't laugh at him. I was too shocked. And he knew exactly what I was thinking. Placing an arm round my shoulder he said "Come on, let's have a cup of tea.''
